shriekingviolet

Might be helpful to add customers' forum handles (supposing they do post here) to the records as well. It would certainly add a wealth of information to any other information on us you have tucked away. Would be interesting to see how many of us you've already placed a name and address to.

Initial Impression: Sharp and complex. I can definitely smell the lime and the pine, with a bit of the myrrh as well. After Wearing It: Wow. This one is so complex, it's awfully hard to pull a description together. It's earthy and mysteriousy, smelling strongly of pine almond and patchouli when it firsts goes on, then after it dries, the scent's complexity really shows through. It's crisp and sharp, yet misty and sweet. Spicy, but almost clean smelling. It makes me think of chanting and ritual dancing, of raising energy just for the sake of doing so. Final Thoughts: I really like this one. It's such a paradox in itself, and wraps you in a cloak of mischief and mystery. I need to wear it a few more times to get to know it better.

That's probably the best idea. They can type in "guy" and get a list.

I agree with Alice. I know it shouldn't matter, but I'd be less likely to try a fragrance if it was in the "man" section, even if the notes sound tempting. I'm not really girlish, but my tastes doesn't really run towards unisex blends, but things can really surprise you! It keeps me having an open mind. Likewise, there are probably some scents that haven't made it on the Men Recommended list that could turn out well for them. Didn't someone mention once (or maybe it was on bust...) that snake oil did work for a guy they knew? I think it helps keep their mind open too. But moving the men recommended list to a more notiecable spot would probably be a good idea.

Initial Impression: I'm not a big fan of florals but this smells really nice in the vial. A sweet floral. Smells hopeful, almost. Slightly wistful, so very appropriate for Ophelia. After Wearing It: I can really smell the sweet pea when I put it on, though as time goes on, it develops into a more complex, sweet floral. I didn't really think I'd like this one, but it's really pretty. Smells a bit too young and innocent for me, but that's appropriate for its namesake. Would work well for a young teen. Final Thoughts: Not my style really, since it's pretty girlish, but I'll definitely be using up the sample.

Initial Impression: Very rosy, rosier than I wanted it to be. I can smell hints of ylang ylang playing in the background. After Wearing It: When I first put it on, all I could smell was rose. Really strong rose, which doesn't go over so well with me. The rose note mellowed out a bit, becoming a bit sweeter and more sensual (from the ylang ylang probably), but it's still very much a rose scent. Final Thoughts: Very feminine. Would be nice for a fan of rose notes, but I am not.

Resins are substances made from plant saps/gums, and are often used in incense and have been for millenia so there's going to be a lot over overlap between the two. Amber, Copal, Frankincense and Myrrh are all resins, though when describing things I tend to use the word "incense" more for myrrh and frankincense than I would for amber or copal (which I'm more likely to label as just resin-y). Amber is a rich, warm, and sweet smell. Much like you'd think from it's color really. Different varieties provide slightly different results, some more smoky than others, some with even something like a slight citrus tinge to it. Patchouli is an earthy scent. I know the word "earthy" isn't exactly helpful, but that's what I think of when I think patchouli. That and warm sweaty bodies LOL. Think 60s hippies. It's very unisex and a bit musky. It's a pretty common scent for incense, but I don't think of it as an incense note and it's definitely not a resin (it comes from leaves of a certain shrub I think). Hope I helped!

Oooh Jazzfest is fun. Great food too. Tons of varieties of Gumbo are made since Jazzfest is also a sort of heritage festival. New Orleans period has wonderful cuisine. I never ate better than when I lived there. And you should have good weather at the end of April. Probably in the low to mid 80s (which is perfect to me), maybe a bit humid, but it shouldn't be too bad.

I think someone said Haunted smelled like Floating Island. Though it didn't smell that way to me at all!

Wow the above review really, really illustrates what a difference noses and personal body chemistry can make. That said.... Initial Impression: Not exactly sweet, it's really kind of tart and even a bit bitter. The wine and myrrh are what's most apparent in the vial. After Wearing It: When I first put this on, my first thought was that this smelled like a marinade. A good marinade, would be absolutely mouthwatering on lamb (I think it's the red wine, and the myrrh's smokiness), but not really something you'd want to smell like. I persisted though, since I give every scent a chance to develop before I make a judgment. After an hour or so, it stopped smelling like something you'd soak red meat in as the honey and the sweet flowers finally started to break through. Still the wine dominates the fragrance for at least another hour. As time goes on, the sweeter notes slowly but surely start to assert themselves. The end result is a lightly sweet, but tangy scent that's not at all candylike. Reminds me of sweet varieties of red wine. Very pleasing. Final Thoughts: I like the end result a lot, but I'm not sure I'd buy a bottle of this because it's definitely something I could only wear if I had time to kill before leaving the house. Very authentic though since I'm now totally craving Greek food. I'd kill for some good roast lamb right now, but since it's 2 am there's absolutely nothing I can do about it. :x

Initial Impression: Sensual and stinging, like pleasure twisted by pain. After Wearing It: I can definitely smell the leather here, but it isn't as dominant as I would have expected it to be from the way it smelled wet. It's feminine in a very "kitten with a whip" kind of way. Vaguely sweet and smoky notes lace through the leather bringing up an image of a swanky club with great leather barstools and couches, smoke (from a machine rather than stale cigarette stinch) and a cute guy at the end of the counter. It's sensual, but not soft. It's edgy, sexy, smart and very modern. Final Thoughts: This isn't a scent I would have chosen on my own, but I'm very glad Elizabeth included it in my order. It's a fab fragrance for nights when you're out prowling with the girls.

How long are you staying in May Nic? The humidity's so not awful from early to mid May. It's something that accumulates throughout the summer until hurricane season hits in the fall. So the earlier you come in the summer, the better off you'll be. August is a hellish in terms of humidity. Walking from the car to a building can make you start sweating. It was a trial trying to move my stuff into the dorms in August both years I was there.

Elizabeth said on the bust forums that one of the ingredients for hellfire is no longer available so the scent has been discontinued.

Initial Impression: Smells kinda fruity, though I can't pinpoint what it might be. Vry complex and interesty. Smoky and a little sweet. After Wearing It: Smoky, sweet, and just a touch fruity and spicy. I smell amber here and some incense note. Myrrh perhaps. It's a rich and decadent fragrance, managing to smell both modern and as old as time. Like voices whispering over prophesies of old texts. It wears pretty strong but I don't find it to be overwhelming (though I do prefer heavier scents, anyway). It wears well too, not fading even after hours of wear. Lovely. Final Thoughts: When I first put this on, I wasn't sure how much I liked it. It's not that it smelled bad on, but the fragrance was so complex that my nose had to adapt. It smelled the same hour after hour and by hour 3, I was totally in love. I want a bottle of this straight away, but my next order is looking mighty expensive already. :?

:shock: Wow, I think my brain just melted from the overload of new options. And I was already having a hard time decising on my next order. :oops: Gods help me.

does your host have a webmail option? I know mine does for all of my mail accounts, so I can check them from either Outlook or through my control panel if I'm not at home. You might have an easier time sending out mail that way until you get the virus issue cleared up. It's what I do whenever my pop account is being bad. And yes, authors of viruses do suck. I never quite understood exactly why they devote so much time to getting into personal computers who have nothing interesting for them to mess with. Sick amusement maybe? I guess we just have to rely on karma to deal with them.

I didn't find Le Serpent to be dark or musky at all. The vanilla showed up during first wear, but the second time I wore it, it was the gardenia that was the most prominent. It was just very floral on me.

I haven't tried Faustus or Saturnalia yet, but I have tried Le Serpent Qui Danse (wore it again yesterday as a matter of fact ^^). I smell the gardenia in it more than anything else. Vetiver is a woody note, and oddly enough I *can* smell it in skinny dip. It's very nice. Lush also uses it in most of its cocunut products. To temper the sweetness maybe? Anyway I like it. I ordered a sample of Faustus in my last order and am quite looking forward to it too since I adore cinnamon.

Initial Impression: Sweet and deep. there's something mournful about the scent. Like a bittersweet ending at the end of a movie. After Wearing It: I liked this wet and I liked in the tube, but I absolutely hated it on. I could smell the amber if I sniffed my wrists (which was nice), but it was the black musk that I kept smelling as I wore it. It was just too much. If I lived in a woodland area, I'd have been worried about getting attacked by horny bucks that would mistake my scent for a doe in heat. Granted, I think I might have put a little too much on, but it really wasn't any more than I usually apply. Final Thoughts: So disappointed about this one. It seems to work well on others, but I think black musk might just clash with my body chemistry.

Initial Impression: Yes that's leather all right. Very authenic . This smells of whips and cruelty. You'd be wary of a man wearing this, but lust after him all the same. After Wearing It: It's dangerous and sexy in a James Dean kind of way. Unfortunately, I couldn't pull this scent off. It's just too masculine for me! Leather's a nice smell, but I don't really want to walk around smelling of it. Final Thoughts: Too bad I don't have a man to dab this on.....

Initial Impression: Warm and smoky, pretty sure it's amber I'm smelling. Kind of like incense. I like it, but I need to smell it on before I make a real statement. After Wearing It: I can smell the amber here, but what strikes me most is this sort of sharp, herby overtone that I can't quite identify. Maybe a bit of lemon verbena or garden mint? It's intriguing, the blend of the warm and resin-y with the cool and crisp. Dusty, yet fresh. It's like a mystery in liquid form. Final Thoughts: On my skin, it's not really me. I adore warm, smoky fragrances but the sort of herby overtone keeps me from loving it. I think I'd prefer it as a room scent rather than to wear.

Initial Impression: S-E-X-Y. I smell almonds and oranges and a blend of other things that I can't identify separately. Would make a wonderful fragrance for a massage oil. After Wearing It: Sexy scent. It's sweet, it's fruity, it's smoky, it's spicy, it's pungent. The neroli and sandalwood peak out the most for me in this scent, though I do detect traces of rose and cloves. Whatever almond I smelled when I first put this on is hiding in the background now. This scent would make a really sexy massage oil or room fragrance, but it's good just to wear as well. Final Thoughts: Hmmm not sure what my final thoughts are. I think I need to wear it once more before I put those down.

Initial Impression: Boozy and sweet, much like me! LOL I maintain what I told Sarah when I first read the description, on how very me it is. You can really smell the rum. It's like a very strong, but very girly mixed drink. After Wearing It: Smelled quite boozy in the vial, but to both my relief and profound disappointment, it didn't smell quite so boozy on. I missed the loveliness of that good buzz smell, but was glad that I could get away with wearing this to work without smelling that I had come to my shift straight from a bender. The smell on was very sweet and comforting. Not really a bakery smell, but something that would remind you of sitting by the fire on a cold day drinking, warm sweet drinks. Good for cold days or when you just need to feel some extra love. Final Thoughts: I love this. It's sweet and warm without being at all foody. It's sexy, sly and sinfully decadent. I'll be buying a bottle of this once CCNow stops boycotting it.

Initial Impression: Elizabeth was right about this one being complex. Smells dark, a full-bodied floral oriental. I can definitely smell the jasmin and the sandalwood. After Wearing It: I'm not sure what I was smelling here, but this fragrance smelled vaguely fruity. Not in a sweet, juicy way, but in a dark tart sort of way. Very hard to describe. It's dark and complex, mysterious and veiled. Heady without being too much and flowery without being too much so. Faelike in a malicious mischief sort of way. Whimsical yet deep and knowledgeable. Final Thoughts: I liked this, but it faded a bit too quickly for my liking. I like strong perfumes and this one was a bit too wispy towards the end for me.

Initial Impression: Very complex and beautiful. I smell flowers, I smell fruit, I smell spice. It makes me visual the ports of Venice and how they received luxuries to sell from the the four corners of the world. After Wearing It: Wow a floral I actually *adore*. The scent is predominantly floral, but with some fruity and headier notes deepening and thickening the smell until it's fully three-dimensional. I smell jasmine and what I imagine to be the violet plum the most on the first sniff, then with the waterlily, sandalwood and a chorus of other floral notes coming to join the play. Definitely a keeper! Final Thoughts: I like this enough that I'm glad I took the risk to buy a 5 ml bottle of it without trying it first. It's not my usual style, but somehow it really works anyway. It'll be nice to have some more variety in my fragrance rotation.